Fans pay tribute to horse racing legends at Old Friends Farm

The Derby celebration continues for one more day at the Old Friends Farm Open House in Georgetown. Many people adding an extra day to their trip, just to see racing legends like Silver Charm who won the Preakness and the Kentucky Derby in 1997.

Out of town visitor Jeremy Weintraub says it’s “Nostalgic, I think that derby was run when I was 5 years old so I can barely remember it. But it reminds me all the Derby’s I’ve watched and and it’s been very fun.

The farm  founded about twelve years ago by former Boston Globe film critic Michael Blowen who moved out here to take care of now 104 horses also living out their retirement.

He says, “There’s some very knowledgeable owners, and caring owners, and trainers, and jockeys, and breeders. But there’s never quite enough space for the horses that need to be retired. Because yesterday we had the fastest two minutes in sports and it’s the first Saturday in May. But there’s a lot of Saturdays beyond the first Saturday in May where these horses have to live.”
Many visitors spent the day taking tours checking out movie-stars like Popcorn Delight who starred in the movie Seabiscuit, bidding on horse racing memorabilia at the silent auction, and enjoying the scenery over a BBQ meal. The waiting list to live here is 44 horses long. Blowen’s hoping to accommodate most of them through proceeds earned from events like this open open house.

Now what’s really cool is Silver Charm actually lives right next door to Touch Gold who prevented him from taking the Triple Crown in 1997 by winning the Belmont Stakes. The owner says the horses do remember but for now they’re happy just being friends in retirement.